Archaeological survey in western Ireland has identified the existence of clusters of activity within the mapped
landscapes of the 5th to 12th centuries A.D. Exploring this further, it is possible to identify elements characteristic of such
clusters, and discuss the possible significance of such places. The basics of German geographer Walter Christaller’s Central
Place Theory provide an interesting analytical tool in this regard. Although a spatial theory developed in the study of urban
geography, some elements of Christaller’s work have been applied to urban archaeological landscapes in recent times. Their
application in the rural ringfort landscapes of western Ireland proves an interesting exercise, one that suggests that Central
Places also existed in more dispersed, rural communities in Early Medieval Ireland.

en_IE

dc.description.sponsorship

Thanks are due to a number of funding bodies and
archaeological professionals—the Heritage Council of
Ireland funded the initial phases of survey, and the Royal
Irish Academy the excavation of the sub-square cashel.
Excavation at Caherconnell Cashel is made possible by
the Caherconnell Archaeological Field School and the
Davoren family who own the land (with early excavations
undertaken in conjunction with Graham Hull and TVAS
Ireland). An anonymous donation to the Department of
Archaeology at NUI, Galway has allowed the final completion
of the survey and the creation of some of the maps
included here. Survey work was undertaken in conjunction
with Liam Hickey, Nick Hogan, Cormac Bruton, Paul
Naessens, and Noel McCarthy. Thanks also to manuscript
editor Carleton Jones and two referees for their part in
improving this paper.

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